Mutation and evolution

Blog

  • A very bad theory about theories

    In some venues, this is a familiar trope: a creationist asserts that evolution is “just a theory,” and a science advocate responds, explaining that, for scientists, a “theory” is a… Read more

  • Getting “Lamarckian” right

    Lamarck’s theory of evolutionary adaptation invokes the inheritance of adaptive responses that emerge by effort.  Over a century ago, this mechanism was rejected by geneticists familiar with results on mutation and… Read more

  • Mutation-biased adaptation reaches the mainstream

    The most recent issue of PNAS includes a report by Galen, et al linking enhanced mutation at a CpG site to altitude adaptation in Andean house wrens (Troglodytes aedon), based on clear… Read more

  • Understanding the Mutational Landscape Model

    This post started out as a wonky rant about why a particular high-profile study of laboratory adaptation was mis-framed as though it were a validation of the mutational landscape model of Orr and… Read more

  • Constructive neutral evolution on Sandwalk

    The interesting things at Sandwalk always seem to happen when I’m not looking.  On Sunday, while I was out west taking the offspring to start university at UBC, Larry Moran… Read more

  • The buffet and the sushi conveyor

    The return of mutationism to mainstream evolutionary biology is evident in the way mainstream articles now describe the role of mutation in evolution, in our reliance on mathematical models that evoke a mutationist view, and… Read more

  • Some comments on Pachter’s P value prize

    In late May, Lior Pachter posted a blog entitled Pachter’s P-value prize, offering a cash prize for providing a probability calculation (P value) based on a “justifiable” null model for the claim… Read more

  • Why the “four fundamental forces” view is mistaken

    Over at Sandwalk, Larry Moran posted some interesting bits rrom his molecular evolution class exam, including a passage from Mike Lynch arguing for his claim that “nothing in evolution makes sense except in… Read more

  • The range of rates for different genetic types of mutations

    To understand the potential role of mutation in evolution, it is important to understand the enormous range of rates for different types of mutations. If one ignores this, and thinks of “the mutation… Read more

  • The shift to mutationism is documented in our language

    Last year Sahotra Sarkar published a paper that got me thinking.  His piece entitled “The Genomic Challenge to Adaptationism” focused on the writings of Lynch & Koonin, arguing that molecular studies continue to present a… Read more

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I’m Amy, a minimalist and simple living enthusiast who has dedicated her life to living with less and finding joy in the simple things. Through this blog, I aim to share my expertise, insights, and experiences. Join me on this journey as we explore the world of slow, purposeful living together!

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